We’ve talked about edible pond plants and versatile pond plants that can be used in both the pond and landscape, but did you know that many common garden and water garden plants are toxic? Some of these commonly used toxic plants can be harmful to our pets as well as to humans. House plants can also be dangerous. Toxic plants that you may have in your home include elephant ear, philodendrons, English Ivy, Amaryllis and the peace lily.
Remember if they are toxic to us or our pets they will also be toxic to our Koi. Plants that are not toxic to humans may still be a problem for your pond fish. The seeds of most plants will swell in the pond and if your Koi eat the seeds they could plug up the digestive tract. Don’t panic, you don’t have to start ripping plants out of your yard and pond. If you have children or pets you could transplant these plants to an area out of reach. Of course, it is also important to keep an eye on small children and curious pets while they are in your garden.
As for the pond, all you need to do is make sure the toxic plants are out of reach from the Koi. Before you make your wish list of new plants for your garden you may want to consider the list below. These are just a few of the more common toxic garden plants, some of which you will recognize as pond plants. Keep in mind this is just a partial list using common names & the part of the plant that is known to be toxic.
Plant __ Part Plant ____ Part
Amaryllis bulbs Black Locust Bark sprouts, foliage
Bird of Paradise seeds Buttercup sap, leaves
Baneberry berries, roots Cherry bark, twigs, leaves & pits
Calla Lily leaves Coral plant seeds
Daffodil bulbs Eggplant everything but the fruit
English Ivy berries Elephant Ears leaves, stem
Foxglove leaves, seeds Hemlock all parts
Hyacinth bulbs Iris bulbs
Jasamine berries Java Bean uncooked bean
Lantana berries Laurel all parts
Locoweed all parts Mistletoe berries
Mock orange fruit Morning Glories all parts
Oak acorns, foliage Pine sap
Poinsettia leaves, flowers Potato eyes, new roots
Redwood sap Rhubarb leaves
Snapdragon all parts Tiger lily all parts
Tomato leaves Tulip bulbs
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